1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle repair and in particular to an apparatus for reconditioning disfigured wheels.
Within the vehicle repair industry, and in particular within the wheel repair market, the need exists to employ devices to salvage disfigured wheels. Conventionally wheels made of steel have been used for vehicles on which a tire is mounted about the wheel. Recently, however, new lightweight metals and metal alloys, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, have been used for vehicle wheels. These new metals contribute to improved fuel efficiency, a more comfortable ride, and enhanced aesthetics. However, these wheels are frequently disfigured as a result of accident, such as the wheels coming into contact with curbing, encountering potholes in the roadway, rubbings against vehicle wash railings, and the like. While disfigured wheels were conventionally discarded, technology has improved within the vehicle repair industry that the disfigured wheels can now be reconditioned in many cases.
2. Description of Related Art
Various devices have been employed to recondition disfigured wheels. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,855,831, 5,634,361, and 6,367,303. Most of the conventional devices used for reconditioning disfigured wheels employ a shaft support mechanism as a way to support the vehicle wheel during the reconditioning process. In addition to the shaft support mechanism, many of these conventional devices also contain an additional support column attached to the shaft support mechanism with bearings that allow the wheel to rotate during the reconditioning process. While the shaft support mechanisms initially support the wheel during the reconditioning process, the repeated stress of the forces applied to the wheel during the wheel reconditioning process eventually causes the shaft support mechanisms to become disfigured and fail for their intended purpose. The repeated stress of the forces applied to the wheel during the reconditioning process also cause the bearings to become disfigured so that the additional support column no longer rotates with ease. These problems with the conventional devices cause costly repair or replacement of the conventional wheel reconditioning devices.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,831 a wheel is mounted on the repair apparatus on a central shaft support mechanism. The central support mechanism supporting the wheel includes a perpendicular rotatable shaft support mechanism at the top of the central support mechanism that is supported by bearings to allow the wheel to spin during the repair process. The wheel is locked onto the rotatable support mechanism by bolts through the normal mounting holes of the wheel hub.
Under repeated stress from perpendicular or near perpendicular forces used to repair disfigured wheels, these shaft support mechanisms and the bearings supporting an additional support column used to rotate the wheel tend to become disfigured. When the shaft support mechanism or the bearings supporting an additional support column of a wheel repair device are disfigured, the wheel repair device can no longer be relied upon to return a wheel to its true form. The repair devices then must undergo costly replacement of the shaft support mechanism and the bearings supporting the additional support column or, in many instances, replacement of the wheel repair apparatus itself.
A need exists, therefore, for a wheel reconditioning apparatus that will support a disfigured wheel during the reconditioning process wherein the wheel is supported by the apparatus without using a shaft support mechanism. Such apparatus should support the disfigured wheel under forces used during the wheel reconditioning process to return the wheel to its true form. The apparatus should also provide for improved bearings and support of the bearings so that the apparatus is rotatable to allow the portion of the wheel that is disfigured to be reconditioned to its true form. Finally, the apparatus should allow for a variety of widths and diameters of the wheels so that the apparatus can be used to recondition any size wheel.
All references cited herein are incorporated by reference to the maximum extent allowable by law. To the extent a reference may not be fully incorporated herein, it is incorporated by reference for background purposes and indicative of the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art.